Agroforestry Land Use Systems for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Ethiopia: A Review

Abstract

Deforestation and forest degradation are major contributors to recent increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and changes to the world's hydrological cycle. For instance most of the European countries, the industrial process emissions are typically 1-2% of total emissions in the world. In Ethiopia, the current contribution is very low as compare to a global scale, but will more than double from 150 MtCO₂e to 400 Mt CO₂e in 2030. Realizing the threat of global warming, reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) both the Kyoto Protocol in 1992 and Paris climate change agreement in 2012 were built. To upon these commitments Ethiopia has adopted a new, sustainable development model by initiating the Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) for achieving the following four pillars: i) Improving crop and livestock production while reducing emissions; ii) Protecting and reestablishing forests; iii) Expanding electricity generation from renewable sources v) Use of modern and energy-efficient technologies. Among many climate smart Agriculture practice in Ethiopia, Agroforestry is the one which is inclusive others agricultural practicing. The aims of this paper were to reviews the possible opportunities to raise the potential environmental role of agroforestry in supporting the climate smart agriculture in Ethiopia.Studies on indigenous agroforestry systems in southeastern Ethiopia indicated that, the average total biomass carbon stock were, Coffee accounted for 11 % and Enset 9% of total biomass C on average of which trees accounting for 39–93 % of the total biomass carbon stock. On the other hands, SOC stocks (0–60cm) were 109–253 Mg ha⁻¹ in the indigenous agroforestry systems. Various agroforestry systems practice in different parts of Ethiopia has also contributed to biodiversity conservation. One of the oldest indigenous agroforestry systems that were practiced in Hararghe highlands of eastern Ethiopia is the retaining of scattered apple-ring Acacia (Faidherbia albida (Delile).Therefore, an Agroforestry practice provides both provisioning and regulating services and there by contributing to the mitigation of global climate changes.

Keywords, Agroforestry, climate change, climate smart

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-8-02

Publication date: April 30^th 2019